Lake Victoria Challenge looks to drone technology to transform rural mobility in the region

2018-12-07T14:36:00-05:00

The most densely populated rural area in the world, East Africa's Lake Victoria basin is home to 35 million people. Many in hard-to-reach, rural locations, these communities often lack necessary infrastructure, separating them from vital services as well as from markets where they can sell their produce.

Aimed at taking on these challenges, the Tanzanian government has teamed up with four organizations—including UNICEF, and the World Bank—to look at the potential of deploying drone technologies in the region. Known as the Lake Victoria challenge, the initiative aims at providing long-term opportunities for growth.

“The rural island communities in and around Mwanza are often only accessible by boat, which can be slow and expensive," said Hon. John Mongella, the Regional Commissioner of the Mwanza Region. "A drone network will support this existing infrastructure, improving access to healthcare and opportunity.”

Lake Victoria Challenge. Photo by Chris Morgan (Fundi Films/World Bank)

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Lake Victoria Challenge looks to drone technology to transform rural mobility in the region